Watering-trough valve.



MELVIN N. HELGERSON, 0F CLERMONT, IOWA.

WATERING-TROUGH VALVE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application fi1ed December 6, 1913.

Patented J une 9, 1914. Serial No. 805,153.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MELVIN N. HELGER- SON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Clermont, in the county ofFayette and State of Iowa, have invented a new and usefullVatering-Trough Valve, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains generally to watering troughs for hogs,and other farm stock, and relates more particularly to an automatic orfloat controlled valve for opening and closing the supply pipe for thetrough as the water level lowers and rises.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved means for controlling the discharge of water from the supplypipe, into the trough, whereby the level of the water within the troughmay be maintained at normal.

It is also the object of the present invention to provide an attachmentfor the end or nozzle of the supply pipe, including a valve cooperablewith the end of the pipe or nozzle, and a float having means cooperatingwith the valve for closing the valve when the float rises to apredetermined position.

It is also within the scope of the present invention, to provide adevice of the nature indicated, which will be comparatively simple, andinexpensive in construction, which may be readily applied to the end ofa water supply pipe, and which shall be simple, practical and efficientin operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a cross section of a wateringtrough embodying the present improve ments. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thepresent device.

In the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a watering trough of anypreferred construction, and the numeral 2 designates a water supply pipepassed through one side wall of the trough 1, and having a pair ofclamping nuts 3 threaded thereon and engaging the opposite faces of theside wall of the trough, for holding the supply pipe in position, andfor closing the opening through which the said pipe passes.

In carrying out the present invention, there are provided two hingeelements t and 5, one leaf, designated 6, of the hinge 4 resting againstthe bottom of the end or nozzle portion of the supply pipe 2, and oneleaf, designated 7, of th'ehinge 5 resting upon the top of the said endof the supply pipe. A U-clip 8 has its arms engaged downwardly throughthe leaves 6 and 7 of the hinges, and has clamping nuts 9 threaded uponits extremities to clamp the leaves 6 and 7 upon the end or nozzle ofthe supply pipe. In this manner, the device is readily and convenientlyattached to the end or nozzle of the supply pipe. The free leaf 10 ofthe hinge 4 has attached thereto, a flat float 11,

which may be of wood or other buoyant ma terial, the said leaf 10 andfloat 11 projecting beyond the end or nozzle of the supply pipe. Thefree leaf 12 of the upper hinge 5 depends over the end of the supplypipe 2, and has a packing disk 13 secured to its inner side or face, toseat against the end of the supply pipe, the leaf 12 and packing 13serving as a flap valve to close the end or nozzle of the supply pipe.The end of the supply pipe is preferably beveled, as at 14, to present arelatively sharp edge for engagement with the packing 13 whereby a tightor effective closure of the supply pipe may be had, when the valve isseated. In order to seat the valve, when the float is raised, a leafspring 15 is secured upon the float 11, and has its free end curved orbent back, and cooperating with the outer side or face of the flap orleaf 12.

The trough 1 may be provided with a bridge portion 16 above the float 11and valve 12, for protecting the same, while the end portions of thetrough, are unencumbered whereby the stock may have ready access to thewater at all points save that portion adjoining the float 11, in orderthat the stock may not interfere with the operation of the presentdevice.

In operation, as the water level lowers within the trough, the float11,will gravitate or swing downwardly, and as a result, the leaf springor pressing element 15 will swing away from the end of the supply pipe,and will permit the valve to swing open under the pressure of the waterwithin the supply pipe, in order that the Water may flow from the supplypipe into the trough. Then, when the water level raises to apredetermined height, the float in being raised will cause the valve tobe seated or closed,

inasmuch as the spring or finger 15 will press the valve against the endof the supply pipe, or nozzle.

The present device will thus serve to maintain the level of the waterwithin the trough at normal, the other advantages and capabilities ofthe present device being apparent from the foregoing, taken inconnection with the drawing, and it being noted that the objects aimedat have been carried out satisfactorily.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1 1. Thecombinationwith a supply pipe, of a pair of hingeelements, means forattaching one leaf of each hinge element over the end portion of thepipe, the free leaf of one hinge element serving as a flap valveseatable against the end of the pipe, a float attached to the free leafof the other hinge element, and a member carried by the float andcooperable with the outer side of the first mentioned free leaf.

2. The combination with a supply pipe, of a pair of hinge elements, oneleaf of one of the hinge elements resting against the top of the endportion of the pipe and one leaf of the other hinge element restingagainst the bottom of the end portion of the pipe, clamping meansconnecting the said leaves, the upper free leaf depending over the endof the pipe to serve as a flap valve, a float attached to the lower freeleaf, and a member carried by the float and cooperable with the outerside of the upper free leaf.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN N. HELGERSON.

Witnesses NnLs T. HELeERsoN, ELMER HAUG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

